Woman's body found in garage

June 22, 2007|TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found inside an unattached garage on the city's near west side Thursday night. An unidentified black female was discovered about 7:57 p.m. in the structure behind a vacant home at 602 N. Euclid Ave. It is unclear how the woman died, St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit Commander Tim Corbett said at the scene. He said an autopsy will likely be scheduled for today. "We do feel something is odd, but we do not know if it's a homicide," Corbett said. "But there was enough there to make us feel suspicious." Corbett would not say if there were any visible signs of trauma to the woman, who is described to be in her early to middle 30s. It is unclear how long she had been in the garage, South Bend police spokesman Capt. Phil Trent said. Trent said a neighbor was out walking his dog and happened to see the body in the garage. As of 10 p.m., investigators, which included St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, were waiting for a search warrant so they could remove the body. Corbett said it's "way too preliminary" to say whether the body is related to the one found June 11 in an alley in the 1500 block of North Medora Street. The cause and manner of Lanita M. Bonds-Newman's death remains undetermined. Officials are waiting for further tests to make a decision. Anyone with information regarding the body found Thursday is asked to call the homicide unit at (574) 235-5009 or Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP.